This journal started out, in January 2007, as the Newham Council CIO's Blog for ICT staff, and its source is still Newham's Intranet.
Since April 2008 I have been seconded for the majority of my time as President of the Society of IT Management. Among my aims, as Socitm's President, are to foster greater transparency and accountability in the operation of the Society's business, and a President's Blog is an obvious tool towards the achievement of these goals.

Tuesday, 26 August 2008

In my Blog, last week, I reported that "we have been unable to find any contracts or job descriptions for the (Socitm) staff!" Oops - we have now found the documentation, following a further search of files, and I therefore apologise for the error.

Plantech plc is a long-term sponsor of the Socitm President's dinner. I'm pleased to report that, following the company's recent acquisition by IDOX Group, it has confirmed that it will again be sponsoring this year's event.

Following my weekend of weddings, it was back to Earth with a bump, today, with several intense meetings.

I met with colleagues from the Building & Research Establishment (BRE) and Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR) to discuss various opportunities related to the Assisted Living Innovation Platform (ALIP) and TeleHealth. I was pleased to hear that the DAP (Digital Access Provision Forum) was successful in its bid to the Technology Strategy Board, winning £1.7m of funding towards a £4.4m project over 4 years, through which the Microsoft Shared Learning Group has won £162k of funding to develop a detailed specification of requirements - based on which Microsoft will develop a software tool. Other partners include the Continua Health Alliance, tasked with standards convergence, whose first product is a new Bluetooth specification with time-stamping, and BT leading on what the assisted living solution will look like, with the BRE and other partners implementing in homes.

The Assisted Living Innovation Platform aims to develop next generation TeleCare and Assistive Technology solutions with the aim of developing a 1,000 home project by 2012. There is a deadline for the submission of Expressions of Interest under the current call for proposals under this programme – the Smart Care Distributed Environment (communications aspects of Assisted Living) of 4th September. Ranjit Bassi, who co-ordinates the DAP Forum, asked whether Newham would be prepared to lead a pilot work package on tracking dementia sufferers. Given its present work through the NHS Whole Systems Demonstrator, and our Telecommunications Infrastructure Convergence project, I thought there was likely to be a great deal of interest.We also discussed other upcoming developments, and agreed to maintain our dialogue, agreeing a number of related action points.

In the afternoon, Ian Tomson-Smith and Alf Raju, from SNT Consulting, briefed me on progress in the PSMP project – text Newham to 80010 to be sent a WAP link to the beta site. Recent consultation, including that with the Young Mayor of Newham, has provided very positive feedback on the social inclusiveness of the project, which is also now working with Newham's Business Development Officer and the Council's Business Directory to provide location specific advertising for local businesses.

The PSMP project has now been presented to Heads of 2012 and CIOs in all five of the 2012 Olympic boroughs. It's also working with Barking and Waltham Forest on the 101 project through the Mayor of London's office.

The portal is due to go "live" on 19th September – the expected date of the announcement of London's Cultural Olympiad programme. Mobile technology is expected to provide a key communications medium. Launch publicity will include 46 local poster sites, Bluetooth sites in Stratford and Upton Park Stations, and at the Excel Exhibition Centre (subject to confirmation) and content in the Newham magazine.

We also discussed how Socitm can help, but, already, word is obviously getting around because the project has been contacted by the Bahrain Government, which wishes to develop something similar!

Subscribe To

President's Blog Cloud

About socitm

The Society of Information Technology Management was founded in 1986 as the professional association for ICT managers working in and for the public sector.

Members are drawn primarily from local authorities but also from the police and fire services, housing authorities and other locally delivered public service.

Managers or consultants from organisations supplying ICT products and services to the public sector, or which support public services in other ways, may also join the Society.

With over 1900 members from 550 different organisations including 98% of all UK local authorities, Socitm provides a widely respected forum for the promotion, use and development of ICT best practice. It also plays a leading role in the implementation of local e-government in the UK.

The Society is a significant provider of advice and guidance on ICT and e-government to local authorities. Socitm offers a growing range of services including publications, conferences, events, training, research and consultancy.